Anyone replaced front dinette table with Lagun hardware?

SigSanDiego

Advanced Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
85
Anyone upgrade (is it?) front dinette with Lagun system?

I just feel the FWC OEM articulation can be improved on with aftermarket Lagun.

Thanks
 
I’m rebuilding my ‘79 Fleet and removed the original table.

It’s just not flexible enough and the mount is so obtrusive. The Lagun is my choice.
 
SigSanDiego said:
Anyone upgrade (is it?) front dinette with Lagun system?

I just feel the FWC OEM articulation can be improved on with aftermarket Lagun.

Thanks
I’ve also thought that the FWC front dinette table mount is weird. The top is mounted so that you have to have the short axis of the top oriented E/W across the camper. This really cramps the space when two people are using the table, and we have to sit on the edge of the seat to reach the table. When in use, there is also a 10” gap between the table and the front of the camper, and the top juts out past the rear cabinets, making it more of a production to slide in and out of the seats.

I think the FWC design could be improved if the horizontal arm were shorter, and attached to the center of the table. Would have to experiment to be sure. But since it’s a nicely fabricated all-welded aluminum arm, I’m not going to start cutting it up.

Otherwise, I think it is very nice piece of hardware, and we have learned to live with it. However, it was essential to add a stop collar at the lower end of the arm so that we can just pop the arm into the mount, and never hassle with the height lock screw. Before that, using the table was painful because you had to always be reaching down to lock/unlock the height screw, the table was always slipping down, etc.

FWC should just provide these collars by default. Or at least sell them. They are only ~$10.
 
Charlie said:
However, it was essential to add a stop collar at the lower end of the arm so that we can just pop the arm into the mount, and never hassle with the height lock screw. Before that, using the table was painful because you had to always be reaching down to lock/unlock the height screw, the table was always slipping down, etc.

FWC should just provide these collars by default. Or at least sell them. They are only ~$10.
Adding a stop collar made the table far, far more convenient and usable. I used a 2" piece of 2" right-angle aluminum bar that I had. I also added a removable 6" extension to the table, so it is now quite comfortable to eat at. When driving, I swing the table over the passenger side seat with a simple rope tie down to keep it there. That allows a decent view from the rear view mirror. We sleep E-W. We pull the bed out 9", add a 9" mattress piece and swing the table over the driver side seat, making the passenger seat a nice step up into bed.
 
I haven't but just used mine FD this weekend and was thinking about it. I've used mine about 60 nights or so in the 3 years I've owned it and haven't really been happy with the table mount. Keep us posted with an update if you go through with it.
 
I went to ACE Hardware and purchased a nylon washer and a SS steel washer that fit the tube (I think it was 1-1/2") and a SS hose clamp and installed them on the tube to keep it from sliding down and still allowing it to rotate. I had originally destroyed the mounting bracket by overtightening it and damaging the tube. FWC replace it since it was still on warranty at the time. The table still isn't straight but thats a different problem.
 
The Hawk table for us works well...with the exception of it "sliding down" when you swivel it with the locking knob loosened. Like others have posted a "shaft stop collar" can be used to fix this issue.

On our 2018 Hawn front dinette the shaft diameter is 1 1/2" OD for the main support leg and also the smaller table mount leg. I used a scrap of 1 1/2" diameter PVC Sch. 40 pipe to make two "collars":

For the small leg mount just under the table a 1 1/4" length of PVC pipe fits perfectly to keep the table "up" - the short length of the table fitting allows just a simple ring like this to work just fine. Just put it in place and your done.

For the main table leg mount I fitted a similar sized collar on top of the main fitting with the table set at my desired height. I then drilled a 3/16" hole through both the PVC collar and one side of the OEM pipe. I used a pop rivet to secure the ring to the pipe. A self tapping screw could also be used. This modification allows the table to rotate, but not slide down. The table is still easily removed by lifting it up for converting the dinette to a berth.

The PVC pipe is easily cut with hacksaw, sanded, then painted black.

KKhNGvmm.jpg
 
I found this somewhere here, or on the web. It's another option for a table mount. Mine will mount vertically on the front wall to make a table for the dinette so you're not constantly kicking the table base. Excuse the album name - this is the only picture in it.

[sharedmedia=gallery:albums:1383]
 
We have never had a problem with ours. It stores so that it is in the front corner, driver's side. I place a 12" piece of swim noddle on the edge along the window. It swings out and around so 4 people can sit comfortably. I agree that a bracket to hold the table at the desired height might be a good idea. We have never had an issue with that either. As far as we are concerned the table mount works just fine. My question is, why would you want to spend big bucks for a Laguna Table.
 
longhorn1 said:
We have never had a problem with ours. It stores so that it is in the front corner, driver's side. I place a 12" piece of swim noddle on the edge along the window. It swings out and around so 4 people can sit comfortably. I agree that a bracket to hold the table at the desired height might be a good idea. We have never had an issue with that either. As far as we are concerned the table mount works just fine. My question is, why would you want to spend big bucks for a Laguna Table.
FWC table does not, in my opinion articulate as best it can. I have to fiddle with it too much to my satisfaction. I’ve played with Lagun Tables at Van Expo etc. and it moves in a superior manner than the FWC table.

$199 is “big bucks”?

I’m open to better where possible.
 
I wouldn't say $199 is big bucks, but for me it would be an unneeded waste of money. I thought the Laguna Table was $350-$400. However, with that said, it is your decision and your money. If you don't like the current table, then by all means do what makes you happy[emoji106]
 
I'm late to noticing this posting as I had no interest in a Lagun Table.

But,

I have modified the existing table mount in our 2015 FWC Flatbed Hawk. I took these pictures back in July 2019 to share but did not follow through.

I wrestled with the table slipping down and trying to find just the right friction for the two knobs to make it work. Really a no go! If you have the table too high you have a risk that the table will break the window glass if it is allowed to swing while driving ruff roads.

I had some left over 1 1/2" electrical conduit I noticed and it would slide over the table tube. Perfect! For the the two tubes I cut to length for where I wanted the table height to be for our needs. The long bottom tube length just needed to be long enough where the friction that the table tube bend starts would prevent the table from dropping lower. Kind of what FAW3 did but longer length and no drilling.

The upper section of table tube just needed a spacer with a notch out for the welds so the table stays at the height and the PVC adds lubrication for pivot.

Now that those two sections were added I adjusted the clamping knobs at just the right friction that allows the table to swing all around but stays in place.

We are happy with this modification and are able to use the table without swearing.

Cheers,
.
.
20211107_104557_resized.jpg
20190702_191610_resized.jpg
20190702_191412_resized.jpg
 
Very late to this party, but I wanted to thank everyone who contributed ideas for a table "stop collar" for the FWC gooseneck table arms.

Like so many, we'd struggled with finding that "sweet spot" where the adjuster knobs were loose enough to allow you to pivot the arm/tabletop around for getting into the dinette seating without having the table eventually slide down to an uncomfortable height. (Especially important for sitting on the street-side in our Flatbed dinette since we have the galley cabinetry next to the seat!)

We're headed out for the holiday weekend and I had a meeting get cancelled this afternoon so I spent a few minutes in the shed whipping up a couple of collars from some 1/2" HDPE I had lying around. I made mine adjustable by making split collars and using 1/4-20 eye bolts as the knobs. We'll play around with dialing in the ideal height this weekend.

Time investment: 30 minutes.
Materials investment: $0 (all scrap from my shop)
 

Attachments

  • stop-collar1.jpg
    stop-collar1.jpg
    110.3 KB · Views: 31
  • stop-collar2.jpg
    stop-collar2.jpg
    125.9 KB · Views: 34
I changed to the Lagun Hardware and could not be happier. It has more precise movement and saves space. It also makes converting the table to a bed much easier.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom